Food writer Jonathan Gold has a Vietnamese restaurant to try in Rosemead, and Chris Pollan introduces us to his new cheese store on the eastside of town, the Cheese Store of Silverlake. Ever raise your own chickens at home? Home chicken expert Alison MacLeod will tell you how. Finally, a lesson on fish from French chef Jean Francois Meteigner of La Cachette Restaurant.

Allison MacLeod has made a 25-minute how-to video, demonstrating in very easy steps everything one needs to know about raising your own chickens/poultry. The video retails for $14, which includes shipping. Go to www.chickenvideo.com.

Hidden Chicken Quiche There's no meat in this quiche, but chickens provide two very important ingredients.

PASTRY 1 1/2 cups plain flour

1/3 cup chicken fat

1/2 teaspoon salt

6 Tablespoons cold water (approx.)

Mix flour, chicken fat and salt with a pastry cutter until the texture of cornmeal. Add the water, stirring gently between each addition until the dough sticks together form into one ball, Roll out on a floured board, place in pie tin and form to fit.

Rule of thumb: Good pies need bottom heat so that the crust isn't soggy. Bake them on the lowest shelf in your oven.

QUICHE Preheat oven to 400F

Brush single crust of rich pastry dough with 1 egg white and poke it all over (tiny pricks 1/2 inch apart, use a fork.)

Crumble 1/2 cup diced or grated cheese (Swiss, Cheddar, Monterey Jack, Colby, or grated hard cheese) into the pie pan, on top of the crust.

Slowly pour the custard filling over the cheese. Place quiche on the bottom shelf in the oven, reduce heat to 375F and bake for 30 to 40 minutes, until the top is a golden brown and custard is partially set.

Let cool to room temperature before serving.

Rule of thumb: Custard pies are done when the center still looks a bit runny, but a knife inserted 2" in from the edge of the pan comes out clean. The center gets firm as the custard cools. If custard pies are cooked until they're completely set, they will crack and weep as they cool.

In a small saucepan, combine the plum sauce, soy sauce, ginger, shallot, garlic, chile flakes, stock and Worcestershire sauce. Stir together and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Simmer for 5 minutes, and remove from the heat. Set aside. (If desired, the sauce may be prepared up to 2 days in advance. Cover and refrigerate; bring to a boil again before using.) Just before serving the sauce, stir in the lemon juice.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Dust each side of each piece of fish with 1/4 tsp of the spice mixture, and season lightly with salt. Rub the seasonings in with your fingertips. Place a large cast-iron pan over high heat and add the oil and butter. When the butter has melted and is just beginning to brown, add the fish and saute for 2 1/2 to 3 minutes, until nicely browned. Turn the fish over and transfer the pan to the oven to finish cooking for 6 minutes, until firm and just opaque at the center.

Remove filets with a large spatula and pat them lightly with a paper towels to absorb some of the excess oil, then place on heated plates and spoon some of the sauce around the edges. If desired, scatter with diced mango or papaya.